Beyond the Higher Skies
by Akuen Katana
Summary: Warnings: Angst, death, and I even want to put a special tissue-box warning on this. If you’re weak-hearted, don’t go in. If you’re not gay-friendly, don’t read. Thanks!


Beyond the Higher Skies  
  
  
  
By: Katana Akuen  
  
  
  
Rating: PG-13 for EXTREME ANGST  
  
Warnings: Angst, death, and I even want to put a special tissue-box warning on this. If you're weak-hearted, don't go in. If you're not gay-friendly, don't read. Thanks!  
  
Daisuke couldn't believe it. He watched the television again, feeling his heart stop quite a few times. Without another word, he picked up his jacket and ran out into the heavily falling snow.  
  
The smell of medicine and the sound of beeps greeted him when he walked into the room. Staring at his lover's wrists, he sighed.  
  
"Why'd you do that?" he asked, tears threatening his eyes. "Are you crazy?"  
  
Ken didn't answer him. The boy only laid there, unmoving and paler then usual. Daisuke grabbed Ken's wrists, holding them tightly in his hands.  
  
"I wanna die too," he said quietly. "But I thought if you wanted to, then we could've done it together." Tears spilled from his young eyes. "Damn it, Ken…I love you too much…"  
  
Tai watched from outside, his stomach churning. He didn't care anymore. Letting a pair of familiar arms come around his waist, Tai snuggled against Yamato's chest.  
  
"Let them be," Yamato whispered softly into his ear.  
  
"I knew Ken was depressed," Tai pointed out. "He even told me he was gonna do it…"  
  
"This wasn't your fault."  
  
Daisuke stayed in Ken's room all that night. He didn't sleep, nor did he eat. He only watched his lover's peaceful face.  
  
"Ken, I don't know why you tried to do this…" Daisuke whispered tiredly. "But I just want to know why you did it without me."  
  
"Because I didn't want you to miss life…" a weak voice whispered.  
  
Daisuke raised his head, seeing Ken's eyes opened and bright. "But I love you…"  
  
"And I love you too…" Ken went on. "But you can't…I won't let you die…"  
  
"And I won't let you die either…" Daisuke whispered, tears falling on Ken's pale hands.  
  
"You know, when I cut my wrists, I only thought of you," Ken said softly. "Daisuke, promise me you'll go on?"  
  
"I can't promise you that."  
  
"And I won't make you make a promise you can't keep," Ken replied. He gripped Daisuke's hand weakly. "I'm sorry, Dai-chan…"  
  
"Koi, don't talk like that! You're gonna live! We're gonna grow old together and laugh at each other's wrinkles!"  
  
"Dai-chan…you're talking nonsense. How much sleep did you lose over me?"  
  
"I would lose anything over you," Daisuke swore. "You know I would. Why did you do this?"  
  
"Because I couldn't stand life. I couldn't stand the looks Kari gave us…" Ken swallowed hard as tears ran down his face. "I just…couldn't…"  
  
Daisuke gripped Ken's hands, taking no notice of the stitches that lined Ken's wrists. "You didn't even do it right…" He kissed the horizontal stitches in Ken's left wrist. "Up and down, not side to side."  
  
Ken laughed weakly. "I do love you, Dai-chan…" He yawned. "But I'm tired…"  
  
"Go to sleep," Daisuke replied softly, feeling more tears run down his face. When he felt that Ken was finally asleep, Daisuke scooped the thin boy into his arms, rocking him back and forth.  
  
"It's beautiful…" Ken suddenly whispered. "It's…beautiful…"  
  
Daisuke cried harder as he felt the very life slip from Ken's body. "I'm sorry…" he whispered over and over, rocking Ken back and forth. He ignored the loud beep from the heart monitor.  
  
Daisuke tugged at his tie uncomfortably. He hated dressing up. With bloodshot eyes, he stared at the fresh grave. Right in his arms, Ken had died. In the end, the blood loss had been too great. And even Daisuke knew that Ken didn't have the strength to live.  
  
Neither did Daisuke. He kneeled to the ground, feeling the snow bite into his skin. He ran his fingers over the cold granite of the headstone. Daisuke thought the years were too close together.  
  
"Can you see it?" a voice whispered past his ear. Daisuke felt his body begin to go numb. He knew that was a bad sign, but stayed kneeled beside Ken's grave.  
  
"I can…" Daisuke trailed off, snow coating his spiky hair. "And it's no where near as beautiful as my koi…"  
  
Daisuke lay down in the snow of Ken's grave, enjoying the cold, wet feeling it gave his heated skin. His fingers traced over the name on the headstone slowly, as if memorizing it.  
  
"We didn't have enough time…" Daisuke whispered as the sun dipped lower. The snow began to fall again. "Not nearly enough time…"  
  
But even as Daisuke grew tired, he saw the ghostly figure in the darkness. It shone with silver. But Daisuke more then recognized the figure.  
  
It was Ken. Ken wasn't pale now. His face was glowing with radiance, and his eyes sparkled just like Daisuke remembered. With a smile, Ken reached down his hand.  
  
"Take my hand, Dai-chan."  
  
Daisuke reached his hand up and grabbed the silver, ghostly hand in front of him. He closed his eyes and slowly drifted to sleep as his arm fell across the grave, hand curled slightly.  
  
And somewhere far off, two sets of laughter could be heard. As Tai watched his best friend get buried, he would swear he saw Ken and Daisuke hugging and playing in the snow, just as he remembered them doing a week ago.  
  
Snow fell harder. Tai left with Yamato, leaving the gravesite where Daisuke had died.  
  
"Will they understand?"  
  
"Of course."  
  
"Beyond the higher skies, further beyond the mass of stars and bathed in silver moonlight is where we all hold a special place within our heart." 


End file.
